Ask an Expert : C500

The C500 stereo preamplifier is a luxurious two box design where the power supply control section is separate from the audio processing chassis. By keeping the control and sound processing separate, this innovative design produces the purest audio performance possible.

The C500 consists of three separate modules: a C500C control unit, a C500P transistor preamplifier, and a C500T vacuum tube preamplifier. Inside each module, the left and right channels are electrically and mechanically isolated from each other to allow true dual mono operation - resulting in the ultimate stereo separation and sonic purity. You can choose to have your system configured with either the transistor preamplifier for the absolute finest crystalline sound quality, or with the tube preamplifier to produce that warm, organic tube sound. If you’d like the option of having both preamp sections, see our C1000 stereo preamplifier.

Featuring the famed McIntosh blue output meters, the C500 also includes a powerful headphone amplifier, both moving magnet (MM) and moving coil (MC) phono sections, and home theater pass through capabilities.